Big, affable Duke Shannon joined the Wagon Train in 1961
and rode the trail until 1964.

Billed on Wagon Train as Scott Miller
but better known to fans as Denny Miller, the former UCLA basketball star
played Duke.

From
the Megan Herring Collection

For reasons that are not clear, the producers originally
under utilized Miller, often relegating him to pointing "thataway" or answering
in monosyllabic utterances. In later seasons he was given more dynamic scripts,
which made fans happy.

Why? Because the ladies had sure noticed the tall blond.
And sent him plenty of fan mail as well!